If you have ever shown up at a ward office or clinic during the New Year break and found the lights off, you know how Japan's holidays can catch you off guard. The good news: the closures are predictable, and once you know the three big seasons, you can plan around them easily. Convenience stores, trains, and most restaurants keep running — it is mainly the offices, banks, and small shops that take time off.
The three big seasonal breaks
- New Year (年末年始): roughly December 29 to January 3. This is the biggest shutdown of the year — ward offices, banks, post offices, and many clinics and small shops close. Shrines and temples, by contrast, get very busy with hatsumode (the first visit of the year).
- Golden Week: late April to early May, when four national holidays cluster together (Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, and Children's Day). Many people take the whole stretch off and travel.
- Obon: mid-August (commonly August 13–16), a customary period — not a single national holiday — when many people return to their hometowns. Trains, flights, and hotels fill up. Note: Mountain Day on August 11 is the official national holiday near this time.
What closes vs. what stays open
- Usually closed: ward and city offices, banks (counters), post office counters, many clinics, government services, and some small or family-run shops.
- Usually open: convenience stores, supermarkets, major department stores, chain restaurants, trains and subways, airports, and big tourist attractions.
- In between: bank ATMs and online banking usually keep working, though some transactions or year-end transfers may be limited or carry extra fees. Check your bank's notice.
During New Year, Golden Week, and Obon, government and ward offices, banks, and many clinics close for several days. If you need a document, a bank counter, or a doctor, handle it before the break starts — and confirm the exact dates on the official site, because they shift each year and vary by office.
Tips to plan around the closures
- Book transport and hotels early. Shinkansen seats, flights, and rooms sell out and get pricier weeks ahead of Golden Week and Obon.
- Finish errands ahead of time. Visit the ward office, bank, or clinic a few days before a break, and do urgent transfers before the last business day.
- Keep some cash on hand. ATMs run but may charge extra or limit amounts during New Year — and over the New Year period (年末年始) some banks shut their ATMs down entirely for a few days of system maintenance, so withdraw whatever cash you will need before the break. Small shops may also be cash-only.
- Watch for substitute holidays (振替休日). When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the next non-holiday weekday becomes a day off — so a Monday you expected to be open may be closed.
- Expect crowds, not gridlock. Trains run on holiday timetables and popular spots get busy, but daily life keeps moving — konbini and most restaurants stay open throughout.
- Are convenience stores and trains open during the New Year holiday?
- Yes. Convenience stores stay open, and trains and subways run, though often on a holiday or weekend timetable. The main closures are offices, banks, post office counters, and many clinics.
- What is a substitute holiday (振替休日)?
- When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the next weekday that is not already a holiday becomes a day off instead. This is why an ordinary Monday can sometimes be a public holiday — check the Cabinet Office calendar to be sure.
- Is Obon a national holiday?
- No. Obon (mid-August) is a customary observance, not an official national holiday, though many companies give time off and travel peaks. The nearby official holiday is Mountain Day on August 11.
